Daryl Askey
Frill “Editorial” One of the great things about graphic design is that it is about all kinds of things. Teaching graphic design exposes one to all kinds of viewpoints and passions. ‘Variety is the spice of life,’ as they say. Summer is in full swing. This is a good time to expose yourself – not literally, necessarily … Where was I? Oh yes, exposing yourself to new experiences definitely contributes to personal growth. And this season lends itself to adventure – with all the frills. Join us in this issue checking out new approaches to art, cinema. We are visual people, so it should come as no surprise we enjoy art and movies. Also, in this issue, find out about some new approaches to environmental thinking. We are people, so it should come as no surprise we enjoy living on this habitable planet. Of course, the next step is to get out there and chart your own adventure and and act on your passions.
Erika Martins
I am a social designer I enjoy working with many social causes such as child rights, sustainable issues and woman rights. I have been working as a designer for more than a year and feel like is my purpose. I stand up for what is right and I truly believe that without honesty, there is no happines. Peace, love and design!
Josephine Kim
Sahi, Monisha
Here’s my favorite Poem, which shows you everything about me, “One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop, The ART of living and designing I chose, leads me to be a DESIGNING ARTIST. Through my life work and play, I hope to inspire people to have faith in love,nature, spirituality,appericiate the beauties of life. Dare to dream big and accept everything without expecting. Have patience and believe in yourselves leads to our own path. If i can make others travel towards their inner peace and soul with art, design and writings i am the happier one. See, live, paint, dance, create the art that is from heart and soul.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master; so many things seem filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster. Lose something every day. Accept the fluster of lost door keys, the hour badly spent. The art of losing isn’t hard to master. Then practice losing farther, losing faster: places, and names, and where it was you meant to travel. None of these will bring disaster. I lost my mother’s watch. And look! my last, or next-to-last, of three loved houses went. The art of losing isn’t hard to master. I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster, some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent. I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster. —Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture I love) I shan’t have lied. It’s evident the art of losing’s not too hard to master though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
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ingin’ in the Rain offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to “talkies.” The film was only a modest hit when first released. Donald O’Connor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Jean Hagen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. But it has since been accorded legendary status by contemporary critics, and is frequently regarded as the best movie musical ever made, and the best film ever made in the “Freed Unit” at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It topped the AFI’s Greatest Movie Musicals list and is ranked as the fifth-greatest American motion picture of all time in its updated list of the greatest American films in 2007. In 1989, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry. Singin’ in the Rain was originally conceived by MGM producer Arthur Freed, the head of the “Freed Unit” responsible for turning out MGM’s lavish musicals, as a vehicle for his catalog of songs written with Nacio Herb Brown for previous MGM musical films of the 1929–39 period. Screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote two entirely new songs, “Make ‘Em Laugh” and “Moses Supposes”, the latter with music director Roger Edens providing the music. All songs have lyrics by Freed and music by Brown unless otherwise indicated. Some of the songs, such as “Broadway Rhythm,” “Should I?,” and most notably “Singin’ in the Rain,” have been featured in numerous films. The films listed below mark the first time each song was presented on screen. In the famous dance sequence in which Gene Kelly sings the title song while spinning an umbrella, splashing through puddles and getting soaked to the skin, Kelly was sick with a 103 °F (39 °C) fever. The rain in the scene caused Kelly’s wool suit to shrink during filming. A common myth is that Kelly managed to perform the entire song in one take, thanks to cameras placed at predetermined locations. However, this was not the case, as the filming of the sequence took place over 2–3 days.
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he Way We Were is a the number 1 pop hit of 1974. In a million copies and remaining 1973 American romantic 1998, the song was inducted into #1 for three non-consecutive drama film starring Barbra the Grammy Hall of Fame and weeks in February 1974. On the Streisand and Robert Redford. finished at number 8 on AFI’s Adult Contemporary chart, it The screenplay by Arthur Laurents 100 Years...100 Songs survey of was Streisand’s second #1 hit, was based on his college days top tunes in American cinema in following “People” a decade earlier. at Cornell University and his 2004. It was also included in the It was the title track of a Streisand experiences with the House Unlist of Songs of the Century, by the album that also reached #1. American Activities Committee. Recording Industry Association A box office success, the film was of America and the National nominated for several awards Endowment for the Arts. and won the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score and The musical score for The Way We Best Original Song for the theme Were was composed by Marvin song, “The Way We Were,” It Hamlisch. A soundtrack album ranked at number 6 on AFI’s 100 was released in January 1974 to Years...100 Passions survey of much success. At the time of its the top 100 greatest love stories initial release, the album peaked in American cinema. The Way at #20 on the Billboard 200. We Were is considered one of the On October 19, 1993, it was regreatest romantic movies ever. released on compact disc by Sony. The soundtrack album became a It includes Streisand’s rendition of gold record and hit the Top 20 on “The Way We Were”, which at the the Billboard 200 while the title time of the film’s release was a song became a million-selling commercial success and her first gold single, topping the Billboard #1 single in the United States. It Hot 100 respectively, selling more entered the Billboard Hot 100 in than two million copies. Billboard November 1973 and charted for named “The Way We Were” as 23 weeks, eventually selling over
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hen Harry Met Sally… is a supplied the structure of the and how he sounded like a young 1989 American romantic film with much of the dialogue Frank Sinatra. The movie’s comedy film written by based on the real-life friendship soundtrack album was released Nora Ephron and directed by Rob between Reiner and Crystal. The by Columbia Records in July Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as soundtrack consists of standards 1989. The soundtrack consists Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The performed by Harry Connick Jr., of standards performed by Harry story follows the title characters with a big band and orchestra Connick Jr. with a big band and from the time they meet just arranged by Marc Shaiman. orchestra arranged by Marc before sharing a cross-country Connick won his first Grammy Shaiman. Connick won his first drive, through twelve years or so Award for Best Jazz Male Vocal Grammy for Best Jazz Male Vocal of chance encounters in New York Performance. Performance. City. The film raises the question The film is ranked 23rd on AFI’s Arrangements and orches“Can men and women ever just 100 Years... 100 Laughs list of trations on “It Had to Be You”, be friends?” and advances many the top comedy films in American “Where or When”, “I Could Write ideas about relationships that cinema and number 60 on Bravo’s a Book”, and “But Not for Me” are became household concepts, “100 Funniest Movies”. In early by Connick and Shaiman. Other such as “high-maintenance” and 2004, the film was adapted for the songs were performed as piano/ the “transitional person”. stage in a production. vocal solos, or with Connick’s trio The origins of the film were The When Harry Met Sally... featuring Benjamin Jonah Wolfe derived from Reiner’s return soundtrack album features on bass and Jeff “Tain” Watts on to single life after a divorce. An American singer and pianist Harry drums. Also appearing on the alinterview Ephron conducted with Connick Jr. Bobby Colomby, the bum are tenor saxophonist Frank Reiner provided the basis for drummer for Blood, Sweat & Wess and guitarist Joy Berliner. Harry. Sally was based on Ephron Tears, was a friend of Reiner’s The soundtrack went to #1 on the and some of her friends. Crystal and recommended Harry Connick Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart came on board and made his own Jr., giving the director a tape of and was within the top 50 on the contributions to the screenplay, the musician’s music. Reiner Billboard 200. making Harry funnier. Ephron was struck by Connick’s voice
Khajuraho Temples in Madhya
Pradesh, INDIA are amongst the most beautiful medieval monuments in India. Originally a group of 85, they are the largest group of Hindu and Jain temples in the world, although only about 25 of them remain today. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, they have awed generations of people with their architectural brilliance, intricate carvings and, most famously, their erotic sculptures. The Khajuraho Temples were built by the Chandella rulers between AD 900 and 1130, during the golden period of the Chandela dynasty. It is presumed that every Chandella ruler built at least one temple in his lifetime. One noteworthy ruler was Maharaja Rao Vidyadhara, who repelled
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the attacks of Mahmud of Ghazni. His love for sculptures is shown in these temples of Khajuraho and Kalinjar fort. Khajuraho, located right in the heart of Central India in the state of Madhya Pradesh, is believed to be the religious capital of Chandellas. The Chandella rulers had tried to distinguish politics from religious & cultural activities and established their political capital in Mahoba, making Khajuraho a religious and cultural capital. The first recorded mention of the Khajuraho temples is in the accounts of Al-Biruni in AD 1022 and in the works of the Arab traveller Ibn Battuta in AD 1335. The Khajuraho temples, scattered over an area of about 9 square miles, depict the traditional lifestyle of women in the medieval age. Redis-
covered almost nine centuries later, they give a poignant representation of life in the 11th century. A few of the temples are dedicated to the Jain pantheon and the rest to Hindu deities — to God’s Trio, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and various Devi forms, such as the Devi Jagadambi. The divine sculptures are a tribute to life itself, embodying everything that is sublime and spontaneous about it. Built using sandstone, with varying shades of buff, pink and pale yellow, each contains an entrance, a hall, a vestibule and a sanctum. The images of Goddesses and Gods sculpted on the temple walls represent the many manifestations of the divine Shakti and Shiva, the female and male principles, the Yin
and one of the most important of the Khajuraho temples. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is studded with magnificent sculptures and one of the most ornately crafted temples at Khajuraho. The Chaunsath Jogini Temple, situated on the bank of the Shivsagar Lake, is believed to be the oldest temple in Khajuraho. This temple is different from the other temples at Khajuraho and depicts a style different from the Chandela style of architecture.
and the Yang. These temples are mainly associated with their erotic art, especially the western Devi Jagdambi Temple, located next to the Kandariya Mahadeva temple. The Devi Jagdambi temple is erroneously linked to Devi Jagdambi and is in fact a Vishnu temple. It has rows of sculptures depicting devanganas, mithunas, divinities and explicit erotic sculptures, especially those depicting mithunas in sexual positions. It is because of these erotic sculptures that these temples are also known as the Kama sutra temples. Most of the erotic sculptures can be found either on the outside or inner walls of the temples but not near the deities. However, it is a common misconception that the sculptures show lovemaking between deities. In fact, they actually show passionlife. During the medieval era there was ate interactions between humans a common belief that having erotic along with changes that occur in the sculptures or alankaras and decorahuman bodies. tive motifs was protective and auspicious. This notion is based on the It is considered that these temples authoritative religious texts like the are a celebration of womanhood Shilpashastras and the Brihat Samas they depict sculptures of heavhita. According to the Brihat Samhita, ily ornamented broad-hipped and mithunas, goblins, creepers and erotic busty but well-proportionate women sculptures were meant to be carved adorning the temple walls. The well on the temple door to bring good luck. contoured bodies of the nymphs This was linked to the idea of young grab attention and they can be seen boys during the medieval era practicengaging in activities like putting on ing ‘brahmacharya’, in which they were make-up, washing their hair, playing required to live in hermitage until they games and knotting and unknotting matured and became adult men, thus their girdles. these sculptures are said to have been made to prepare them for the worldly It is believed that the erotic sculpdesires and learn about them. tures, amongst them nymphs, with their sensuous poses and pouting The western side of the site is the expressions are a way of giving most popular area, which includes importance to wellbeing and love of the Kandariya Mahadeva, the largest
The erotic art at Khajuraho is considered to represent the pinnacle of love and passion. However, during the period between 900 and 1300 AD most Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples across western and southern India featured some form of erotic art. However, at these other temples, the sculptures were carved at the plinth level, below the eye level and rarely got noticed. It is only at Khajuraho that these sculptures were so prominently displayed on the main wall of the temples. Eastern temples, The Brahma Temple is actually dedicated to Lord
Vishnu. Dated from 925 AD, this is one of the most prominent and beautiful structures in the eastern group. The temple wrongly came to be associated with Lord Brahma due to the presence of a four-faced Shivalinga. There is also a stark difference between this and the typical western group temples, devoid of the ornate carvings, sensuous sculptures and elaborate architectures. Instead, it is a simple structure and is made of granite along with a pyramidal spire made of sandstone. At the entrance, on either side, one can see the carvings of river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. The temple is situated on the banks of the Khajursagar tank with the Khajuraho village as the backdrop.
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Maltese
Looking for a pet? Malteses are excellent dogs for company! Maltese are toy dogs weighing less than seven pounds, covered by a long, silky coat. Beneath that all white mantle is a compact body moving with a smooth, effortless gait. The overall picture depicts free flowing elegance and balance. The Maltese face with its big, dark eyes and black gumdrop nose has been enchanting owners since the Bible was a work in progress. Don’t let the showy looks fool you: These are hearty, adaptable pets. It takes a whole lot of dog to survive three millennia. A dog breed who’s gentle and fearless, the Maltese greets everyone as a friend. His glamorous white coat gives him a look of haughty nobility, but looks can be deceiving. This is a sprightly, vigorous dog who excels not only as a companion but also as a therapy dog and
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competitor in such dog sports as agility, obedience, rally, and tracking. But most of all, he loves to be with his people. The Maltese is a natural ham with a lively personality. Because he’s so people-oriented, he takes well to training and responds to positive reinforcements such as food rewards, praise, and play. Fearless, Maltese assume that everyone they meet human or animal is a friend. Sweet and cute, they’re widely known for always getting their way even with people who have no intention of spoiling them. Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them.
Personality: Gentle, playful, affectionate; fearless in a charming toy-dog way. Energy Level: Somewhat Active; A classic lapdog, but Maltese still like brisk walks, playtime, and l learning tricks.
Good with Children: Better with Older Children Good with other Dogs: With Supervision Shedding: Infrequent Grooming: Weekly Trainability: Responds Well Height: 8-10 inches Weight: 6-8 pounds Life Expectancy: 12-15 years Barking Level: Barks When Necessary
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The barefoot ‘Picasso’ of Indian art. The artist was also honoured with the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for his film ‘Through The Eyes Of a Painter’ and was a special invitee along with Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paulo art Biennial in 1971.
Ebullient and eccentric at the same time, barefoot
painter Maqbool Fida Husain took Indian art to the global stage with his cubist-inspired modern art but was riled in controversy with his paintings on Hindu deities. Synonymous with contemporary Indian art, the painter was described as the ‘Pablo Picasso’ of India by Forbes magazine. Born on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur in Maharashtra, Husain was mainly a self-taught artist and made ends meet in his initial days by painting cinema hoardings in Mumbai. Husain had once recounted that “We were paid barely four or six annas per square foot. That is, for a 6x10 feet canvas, we earned a few rupees. “And apart from the New Theatre distributor, the others did not pay us at all. As soon as I earned a little bit I used to take off for Surat, Baroda and Ahmedabad to paint landscapes”. Given his meagre earnings, Husain tried other jobs and one of the best paying was a toy factory where he designed and built toys.
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The painter, who courted controversy over his paintings of Hindu gods, had been living abroad in self-exile since 2006. His paintings on Hindu goddesses ? Durga and Saraswati - invited the wrath of Hindu groups. His house was attacked in 1998 by Hindu groups and his art works were vandalised. In February 2006, Husain was charged with hurting sentiments of people because of his nude portraits of Hindu gods and goddesses. A series of cases were brought against Husain and a court case related to the alleged obscene depiction of Hindu goddesses in his paintings resulted in issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him after he failed to respond to summons. There were also death threats. Husain, who left the country stating that “matters are so legally complicated that I have been advised not to return home”, had expressed a strong desire to come back, despite fears that he may be arrested in connection with the cases against him. The artist had become well-known in the late 1940s and joined the Progressive Artists’ Group, founded by
Francis Newton Souza in 1947. The group was formed to explore a new idiom for Indian art and was a clique of young artists wanting to break with the nationalist traditions established by the Bengal School of Art. Honoured with the prestigious Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Husain was the highest paid painter in India with his single canvases fetching up to USD 2 million at a Christie’s auction. Husain’s Battle of Ganga and Jamuna: Mahabharata 12, fetched USD 1.6 million in 2008, setting a world record at Christie’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art sale. He had also worked on a few films, including ‘Gaja Gamini’ with his muse actress Madhuri Dixit who was the subject of a series of his paintings which he signed as Fida. After a tribute to Dixit, the painter went on to make Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities with Tabu. He had also made paintings of actress Amrita Rao. Troubles always followed Husain and when he was to be given the prestigious Raja Ravi Varma award by the government of Kerala at the age of 92, the announcement sparked a controversy in the state. Sabarimala spokesperson, Rahul Easwar, went to Kerala High Court and it gave interim order to stay the granting of the award until the petition had been disposed of. Included in the list of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World issued by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Husain depicted the icons of Indian culture, through the ages, seeking to capture the quintessence of his subjects, like Mother Teresa and the characters of epics like the Mahabharata. Maqbool Fida Husain SELF PORTRAIT WITH HORSE M.F. Husain – Five Horses, 1970s, oil on canvas
Graphic designer and idea enthusiast. Professional design instructor. Meme Mom. Pet owner. Currently I am an instructor at Vancouver Community College and Lasalle College International. The other half of the week is spend working with a dedicated team of editors and production staff on Canada’s largest weekly entertainment magazine The Georgia Straight.
Janet tell us all about Eco-Friendly Package, what is and how to do it. Check it out.
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How important is package design?
Package design is essential to transporting, displaying and marketing your product. It is essential to ensure your product reaches its intended audience. Whether you have purchased something in-store or online, the package design is the first encounter your customer has with your product. The challenge in todays hyper competitive market is how to not only stand out, but not leave a trail of destruction enviromentally. How can you catch the customers attention and keep the materials enviromentally friendly?
What makes a package sustainable?
10 PRINCIPLES OF HOW TO DESIGN SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING WITH INTENT. (http://www.packagingdigest.com/sustainablepackaging/10-ways-to-design-sustainable-packagingwith-intent-2016-07-13) •
Start with commodity materials that are commonly recycled at major municipalities: #1 PET, #2 HDPE, aluminum, glass, paper, paperboard.
packaging components for end of life. Use of the How to recycle label is helping to communicate what to do. •
Clearly mark the materials on the packaging components. Design in-mold recycle codes or labeling to let consumer know what the material is.
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Use Lifecycle Assessment. Only in understanding the entire supply chain do you fully understand the sustainable savings. Improvements in distribution could greatly offset a more premium material selection or increase in manufacturing complexity.
Do you believe that a package can have a great design and still be sustainable?
Absolutely. Know your audience, understand your product well, create strong design using design principles and be creative with how you approach the package design challenge. Be open minded and push the boundaries of what has been done in the past.
Do you think people are more conscious about environmental issues when buying their products?
In general people are more aware of environmental concerns. The problem is when someone is shopping and they really want something, they will undoubtely buy it no matter what.
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Design the package from a single material. Single material packages are easier to identify and separate during recycling.
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Focus on the product-to-package ratio. The package should be as small as possible while still protecting the product and providing adequate branding real estate.
People want to feel good about their actions, so if something is conveniently resusable or recyclable it will add to the overall positive experience.
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Design for assembly at the point of manufacture. Think through the assembly steps, as well as the use of hand labor versus automation. The more efficient the better.
In your opinion what would be a “perfect package”?
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Avoid gluing and laminations. Laminations and glue make it impossible to separate materials for recycling, and can negatively impact what would be an environmentally friendly package.
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Design for distribution. Design primary, secondary and tertiary package from the beginning, looking to optimize all package dimensions for pallet efficiency.
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Eliminate secondary and tertiary packaging when possible. Look for opportunities to make the primary package more robust, as well as combining functions of shipper and point-of-purchase (POP) displays.
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Design for disassembly. The end user will ultimately be responsible for cleaning and separating the
There is nothing that is 100% perfect. In my ideal world it would start right from the beginning with eco materials are sourced, a low impact production process, short distance to the consumer and easily disposed of or reused.
What will packaging look like in the future?
I am sure that science and technology will continue to play a large role in the advancement of materials we will have access to. The trend is definitely towards smaller and less types of package. All that being said, we are a consumer driven economy and package design will continue to play a large roll in marketing, especially as we move away from brick and mortar stores into a fully online market. Package design will continue to evolve and adapt to all the changes and gradually become less and less of an impact on our environment.
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57408 190th Street in Pacific Junction, Iowa.
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Want to ride with the desert wind? Ride into Desert Wind Harley Davidson.
Owner Ray Croghan’s full-service
Mesa dealership, 922 South Country Club Drive, is dedicated to America’s great motorcycle nameplate. “We proudly offer new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles,” says Croghan, a native Nebraskan, principal of Croghan Investments and Phoenix-area resident for more than 20 years. “We do not sell any other brand.” The dealership has in inventory or can order all of the models: Street®, Sportster®, Dyna®, Softail®, V-Rod®, Touring, S Series, CVO™ and the Trike. His other dealership, Loess Hills Harley-Davidson®, is near Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, 57408 190th Street in Pacific Junction, Iowa. It, too, is Harley and only Harley. Desert Wind Harley-Davidson® also offers clothing, accessories, motorcycle parts, financing and service. If you want parts to customize your Harley, the Desert Wind Harley-Davidson® staff can set up an appointment or you can just stop in. In addition, Croghan and staff host numerous concerts and charity and nonprofit events. “Our customers are interested in anything that is branded Harley-Davidson,” says Croghan, who previously partnered with Chesters at the Mesa location before he assumed ownership a year and a half ago. “This represents their lifestyle, not just their chosen means of transportation. And here at Desert Wind, we will help you find what you need to fully express the rider in you.”
His finance and investments manager at Desert Wind Harley-Davidson® is Bill Wallace, whom Highline Autos readers will recall from his collision-repair and restaurant businesses. “He applied and emerged as the winning candidate from amongst dozens of applicants,” Croghan says. Ray’s love for riding began early. “My uncle was a very early Honda motorcycle dealer,” he recalls. “I worked for him in his Mobil gas station, which was where he sold the motorcycles. In my pre-teen years, he would lend motorcycles to me. That is how I learned to ride and to love riding. I have been doing both for more than 50 years.” That includes five continents – North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Australia – and, he says, jokingly, two planets: Earth and Sturgis. Held
August 4 through 13 this year, that other heavenly body for cyclists is the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. Begun in 1938 by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, Croghan says, it now is an almost required pilgrimage for avid motorcyclists. He has made the journey cross country a wheel-spinning 17 times. “It is the best combination of people-watching and motorcycle-watching in the world,” he says.
“The camaraderie amongst riders from all over the world is an awesome experience. The burgers and the beers are pretty special as well.” For him, motorcycles are a natural force, the call of the wind to him and fellow enthusiasts. Desert Wind Harley-Davidson® is about riding and riders. “We are so fortunate to be able to ride out into the desert, stripped of the noise and pretense that burdens society,” he says. “Here a person can sense a freedom that is not given but comes from within.” Second Article Image He and his wife Deb are inspired by Native American Southwest traditions, which has generated the Desert Wind Harley Davidson name and logo and, most importantly, their service vision. Many of these indigenous peoples considered the wind a sacred spirit messenger who communicates a language understandable ––– only to those able to hear it. Croghan calls this transformative force Brother Wind. The unique individualists who ride hear this and know that their community of brothers and sisters do, too. “Brother Wind whispers and sometimes howls to all of those who are free to hear it, on the plains and across mountains and here in the desert,” Croghan says. Hear the wind, heed the wind: Desert Wind Harley-Davidson.
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hen we think of ‘design’ we often think of highend products: buildings, household goods, cars, or fashion. But ‘design’ is about more than products and it’s certainly about more than fashion or the latest styles. At the heart of good design is a search for ways to create a better world. Design is about finding solutions, practical innovations, and making improvements that enhance people’s lives, address problems or open up possibilities for a better life. When you think about design like this, ‘social design’ is about applying general design principles to our social realities and ‘designing’ ways to address social issues (such as poverty or social isolation), and ultimately creating a more just and sustainable society. Social design can point to a particular outcome of a design process: that is, design for a social purpose. So social design can focus on the design of products that benefit people (for example, the design of water purifiers for people living without potable water); or services (for example, designing more inclusive financial services); or processes (for example, designing participatory decision-making processes inside organisations).
Social design isn’t about reinventing the wheel Importantly, social design does not have to involve the creation of something new. It can help us to focus on how things can be improved, or how we can design greater effectiveness into existing systems. Improving service delivery for a particular group of people could be just as challenging as developing designing new technology systems to service excluded communities.
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By the people, for the people Social design can also point to the process of design itself. Considerations can include: who participates in the design process, who informs it, who benefits from it? So the design process can be social in that it engages people to design their own futures. Social design is not necessarily about a professional designer designing things for people. It can also involve working with people to co-design and co-create products or services. The end-users of a product or service may be integrally involved in the whole design process. Social design can also recognise and build on things that people have designed by themselves, using their own ingenuity and locally available resources. One great example is the work of Jane Fulton Suri and the IDEO team.
Design approaches & Design thinking Social design gives us a framework through which we can open up our thinking about social issues. It allows us to challenge the assumptions that are imbedded in the way we’ve designed responses to date, and helps us to create responses that may be more effective, generate greater impact or lead to better outcomes for people. A great deal of attention has recently been given to ‘design thinking’. Design Thinking is a practical methodology of problem-solving that incorporates processes such as: defining problems; researching or analysing these problems; ideating potential solutions;
and learning or reflecting on how well these solutions addressed the problem.These ‘steps’ were developed by Stanford’sD. School, based on an original process developed in Soft Systems Methodology. I prefer to talk about ‘design approaches’ rather than ‘design thinking’ as I believe that design is about more than thinking. Good design needs to incorporate thinking, research, action, values, and a capacity for learning and reflection. In other words: it requires our heads, but also our hands and hearts. There’s nothing inherently magical about bringing a design framework to bear on addressing social issues. It’s not about ‘add design and stir’ for miraculous solution to all our woes. However, I believe that adding design approaches to our repertoire can help us to open up possibilities, bring different disciplines and new frameworks to our understanding of issues. It can help us utilise methodologies that can not only identify new solutions but understand and reframe what we see as the ‘problems’. To me, the ‘social’ in social design is just as important as the ‘design’ component. What interests me is what creative possibilities lie at the intersection of social impact and design, where design is informed by – but not constrained by – learning from the past, and where professionals and citizens alike are able to free themselves enough to really examine different possibilities for addressing complex or wicked social issues.
CSI has seen the development of a range of design initiatives: Design approaches are being used to reinvent and re-imagine public sector activities: In Australia, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) is using design thinking to rethink key public services such as support for vulnerable families. In the UK NESTA has established a Public Services Lab, which is trialing innovative ways to deliver public services. In Denmark, MindLab is a cross-departmental public sector innovation agency that also involves citizens and businesses in redesigning public services. Design Agencies are focussing more on addressing social issues: For example, IDEO.org, a non-profit arm of the design agency IDEO has launched with a mission to examine how human-centred design can help to innovate solutions to poverty-related challenges. In Australia, innovative design agencies such as CoDesign Studio are undertaking community-based design projects and linking community development to design practice. Design schools are developing courses that link design and social innovation: There are now courses in ‘Design for Social Innovation’. An example is the School for Visual Arts in New York. All these initiatives are building the foundations of social design, and people are beginning to explore how social design could change not only the way we approach social issues, but how we see the process of design.
Where it’s at There has been a great deal of interest recently in the potential role that design can play in addressing some our seemingly intractable social and environment issues.
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Have you ever pondered the way we are?
Are we the way we should be? Or we can have some other forms also. We all have varying experiences in our lives. There are moments when we feel we are the happiest man on the earth but at other moments we find ourselves quite miserable. Which of these men is us? We can’t be both of them at the same time. If we are the happiest one then who is the miserable one and vice versa. That means we are something else apart from these two forms. This very form can make us miserable and blissful depending upon our approach towards the circumstances. Now the question is how to recognise our true self? What is the way to self-discovery? Well, I am too young and immature to answer this question. Certainly, there are some of the things which need to be taken care of in order to be self-aware. Some of them I have followed from last few years. they have been a great help to my pursuit to self-discovery. There was a time when I was completely no one and had no idea what I was doing. Back then I was the completely off-centre. Anyone could manipulate me by just saying something harsh or acceptable to me. I could be given any belief system. But now I have made myself such that it would be hard to me believe anything unless it appeals to my intellect and inner self. I am very grateful to some of the quite generous people in my contact who introduced me to some of the enlightened masters in my early life. Though my unconscious life did not harm me much because was too early to harm. Then I started studying the work and teaching of different masters which continues now too. some of them are, Kabira, Buddha and Ramakrishna Pramhans and many others. We generally hear that for the self-discovery we need to renounce the world and go to the Himalayas. No that is not needed at all – in fact, that is a hurdle in your pursuit. Unless you face the challenges given at your home, office or in the market how will you know where do you stand. In solitude, there would be no challenge to you. this world is the perfect place to know your truth. And we have nothing to renounce. Whatever we have we go away one day naturally so there is no question of renouncing it. If we can’t save it how can we renounce it? -Mishti
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